Device for holding lobsters  claws



(No Model.) J B, GLAUSER.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING LOBSTERS GLAWS; 7 No; 581,976. Patented May 4, 1897.

NITE

JOHN B. CLAUSER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING LOBSTERS CLAWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,976, dated May 4, 1897. Application filed August 10, 1896. Serial No. 602,226- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, JOHN B. OLAUsER, of

New Haven, in the county of N ewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Devices for Holding Lobsters Claws; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in- Figure 1, a plan View of a wire bent in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a side View of a lobsters claw with my device applied thereto.

This invention relates to an improvement in a device for holding lobsters claws, the obj ect being to avoid the use of the Wooden plug which is commonly inserted at the inner end of the smaller jaw, the insertion of which is not only an act of cruelty, but its withdrawal is attended with considerable difficulty when the lobsters are served; and the invention consists in a wire formed with a loop to inclose the jaws, the ends of the wire extending rearward and entwined around the rear portion of the jaw, as more fullyhereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A wire of suitable length is bent at about midway of its length and twisted to form a stem A. The strands are then separated,

forming a loop B of a length suit-able to set over the two jaws of a large size lobsters claw. The ends of the wire beyond the loop are then twisted together for a as at C.

The device is applied as follows: The jaws of the lobster are held in the closed position and the loop B placed over them, and preferably with the stem A above the larger jaw. The twisted portion extends rearward, and the ends of the wire are passed on opposite sides of the rear'portion of the claw and twisted together, as at D, forming a second loop. One or both ends of the wire are then carried forward and twisted about the stem A, all as shown in Fig. 2, which securely holds the claws in position and prevents the possible displacement of the wire.

portion of their length,

Should the loop 13 be too large, as in the case of a small lobster, it is readily made smaller by further twisting the wires together, thereby increasing'the length of the portion C, and should the twisted portion C be too long it is readily untwisted to make the device of suitable length for the varying sizes of lobsters, although in ordinary practice they will be made up in various sizes, so that additional twisting or untwisting at the time of applying the device will not be necessary.

By a device of this character it will readily be seen that the jaws are securely held and the use of a plug to hold the smaller jaw against the larger one is dispensed with.

It is apparent without further description or modification that slight changes may be made in the bending of the wire, and I there fore do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact bends shown and described.

I am aware, however, that the shells of oysters and other mollusks have been held together by means of a binding-wire, and there fore do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, such as my invention; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A device for holding lobsters claws, consisting of a wire bent substantially midway of its length, and partially twisted to form a loop for surrounding the outer end of a claw, and

ends of suitable length to extend to and surround the inner end of the claw, substantially as described.

2. A device for holding lobsters claws, consisting of a wire bent substantially midway of its length, and partially twisted to form a loop and a stem at the outer end thereof, the ends of the wires at the inner end of the loop being of suitable length to extend around a claw and be engaged with said stem, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. CLAUSER. Witnesses:

GEORGE A. DREXEL, A. MiiLLER. 

